“Oddfellows”
Why, thank you!
Rams fight to the end
Tomahawk releases first album in over five years - page 12
FSU Compliments provides
Come up short in semis - page 14
anonymous accolades - page 11
T h e G at e p o s t Framingham Sta te Unive r sity’s inde pe nde nt stude nt ne w s p a p e r s in c e 1 9 3 2
One in four students have driven drunk
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gatepost@framingham.edu
By Michael B. Murphy Assistant News Editor By Alex Shuman Editorial Staff By Cristina Valente Staff Writer
FSU remembers Colleen Kelly
Deanna Collins/The Gatepost
By Kerrin Murray Associate Editor By Karin Radock News Editor
The FSU community celebrated the life of Colleen Kelly at a prayer vigil organized by the Catholic Newman Association and SGA in DPAC on Feb. 14. The 21-year-old Melrose native was a senior English major with a minor in secondary education, who
lived in Peirce Hall, and was an active member of FSU Newman during her four years at the university. Kelly was tragically killed while attempting to cross Route 9 at the intersection of the highway and Maynard Road on Dec. 14, 2012. Kelly’s family, friends and fellow classmates as well as FSU professors and administrators attended the ceremony, at which sev-
eral community members offered words and prayer commemorating her life and time at the school. Addressing the crowd, Vice President for Enrollment and Student Development Susanne Conley said she and President Flanagan, who could not attend the vigil, wanted to thank SGA and the Catholic Newman Association for orga-Continued on page 3
Molly Goguen: thankful for getting to give back
By Karin Radock News Editor
Starting out at FSU, she was excited to get involved - to give meaning to her time here, to make friends and find out what she was truly passionate about. Now known for her dedication to SGA, she admits that she joined by accident her freshman year, mistaking the role of senator for a class officer position. Although she may not have known what she was
doing at first, Molly Goguen learned that sometimes, mistakes turn out to be “worthwhile in the end.” Four years later, Goguen has remained heavily invested in her involvement on campus, taking on the roles of student trustee and Alternative Spring Break (ASB) operations and education trip leader. Recently, sitting comfortably in one of the large cushioned swiveling chairs
An unscientific survey of 400 FSU students, conducted by The Gatepost from Nov. 15 through Nov. 20, found that over one-fourth of students have driven drunk at least once. A majority want a “no questions asked” transportation system on campus. When asked how often students had operated a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, 111 of the 400 students surveyed answered at least once and 289 answered never. Dean of Students Melinda Stoops was alarmed upon hearing that students do not always use a designated driver. “If [students] are going off campus and they know they are going to be drinking, I would encourage them to discuss it beforehand instead of at the end being stuck and saying, ‘Oh, who’s okay to drive?’” When asked whether they had been a passenger in a vehicle driven by a drunk driver at least once, 224 of the 400 students surveyed answered “yes.” “That’s really concerning,” said Stoops. “They know the risk involved. My guess is that it’s not a lack of knowledge. The problem, obviously, is when people are intoxicated, they don’t make good choices. At the time, their decisionmaking process was probably impaired by the alcohol in their system. “It goes back to, ‘How did they find themselves in this situation where they felt like they had no other choice than to get in a car with an impaired driver or to drive themselves?’” Stoops asked. In 2009, according to AlcoholAlert. com, 33 percent of people killed in alcohol-related accidents were not driving the vehicle - they were either passengers in the vehicle or non-occupants.
Students want transport system for potential drunk drivers When asked whether having a “no questions asked” transportation system back to campus on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights would be beneficial to the FSU community, 379 of 400 students surveyed answered “yes.” SGA President Hannah Bruce said Allie Card/The Gatepost she recognizes the need for school-sponsored measures to help curb drunk drivStudent Trustee Molly Goguen is considering a ing. “We need to recognize that students - Continued on page 9 career in either volunteering or public administration. -Continued on page 4